The Groundtruth from a combat veteran, backed up by independent research and historical study. Information beneficial to the Troops. And a touch of objective politics, as it relates to the subjects at hand.

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Shadow of the Sword

SSgt Workman is featured in the Hall of Heroes and a book review on this from Marine Till Death that read it as it was written: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/shadow-of-the-sword-by-jeremiah-workman-w-john-bruning.html

http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/ssgt-jeremiah-workman-navy-cross-usmc-iraq-marion-oh.html and links to prior articles.

by Capt. Laura Ropelis
Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs

12/25/2008 - HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFNS) -- An
Air Force Special Operations Command Airman saved lives in Afghanistan
April 6 during a lengthy battle by calling in airstrikes to protect his
team.

Staff Sgt. Zachary Rhyner, a special tactics combat controller assigned
to the 21st Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., was
deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom as the primary joint terminal
attack controller while attached to special forces team Operational
Detachment Alpha 3336, 3rd Special Forces Group.

Then a senior airman, Sergeant Rhyner was part of a 130-man combined
assault force whose mission was to enter Shok Valley and capture a
high-value target who was funding the insurgency. Sergeant Rhyner is
credited with saving his10-man team from being overrun twice in a
6.5-hour battle.

Capt. Stewart Parker, the detachment commander at Bagram Airfield,
Afghanistan, was the command and control link to the JTACs on the
ground as they went into Shok Valley.

"This was the first time U.S. special operations forces entered the
territory," Captain Parker said. "These were extraordinary conditions
and the situation was dynamic."

Shok Valley is located below 60-foot cliffs. The mission objective was at the top of the mountains surrounding the valley.

"Initial infiltration began that day with snow on the ground, jagged
rocks, a fast-moving river and a cliff," Sergeant Rhyner said. "There
was a 5-foot wall you had to pull yourself up. The ridgeline trail was
out of control."

The expectation was to encounter fire from about 70 insurgents. One Air
Force JTAC-qualified combat controller was attached to each team to
call in airstrikes, if needed.

"We were caught off guard as 200 enemy fighters approached," said Staff
Sgt. Rob Gutierrez, a combat controller with the second team in the
fight. "Within 10 minutes, we were ambushed with heavy fire from 50
meters. The teams were split by a river 100 to 200 meters apart, north
to south."

Sergeant Rhyner was in charge of coordinating the air assets.

"I have never seen a situation this bad," said Captain Parker, who was
monitoring the situation back at the base. "The intel said the enemy
was 40 feet away from Zach and his team at one point. It was
dangerous."

Within the first 15 minutes of fire, Sergeant Rhyner was wounded along with three team members.

"I was pulling security when I got shot in the leg," he said. "The
rounds hit my left thigh and went through my leg and hit another guy in
the foot."

Sergeant Rhyner said he immediately felt pain and adrenalin.

"There was nowhere to go. I grabbed the wounded guys, but we were
trapped by the enemy," he said. "I was calling in airstrikes and
firing, while moving the wounded down (the cliff)."

Sergeant Gutierrez said he could see insurgent fire coming from the
buildings on the hilltops above them and was trying to get across the
river to meet up with Sergeant Rhyner.

"Zach and I were in constant radio contact," he said. "I could hear the
ammunition, sniper fire and rocket-propelled grenades with multiple
blasts. We tried to push to the north to collocate with Zach's team,
but every time we pushed up river, it put us in an open line of fire."

"My team ran across the freezing river. The water came off the
mountains, and we were 100 to 200 feet beneath the enemy, like fish in
a barrel," Sergeant Gutierrez said.

As the enemy surrounded them, Sergeant Rhyner, who was being treated
for his injuries by Capt. Kyle Walton, the special forces team leader,
directed multiple rockets and gun runs from AH-64 Apache helicopters
against enemy positions.

"Zach was coordinating tremendous amounts of fire on both villages
simultaneously," Sergeant Gutierrez said. "Zach was in charge of the
airstrikes, since he was closest to the fight and could see even what
the F-15 (Eagle) pilots could not."

Forty-five minutes to an hour had gone by since the fight began.

"We were pinned down and I could see the enemy all over the hills
running around," Sergeant Gutierrez said. There were no stable targets.
I kept the Apaches and the Hellfire missiles pressed to the north."

Accurate sniper, machine gun and RPG fire poured down on the assault
force in a complex ambush initiated simultaneously from all directions
as Alpha Team 3336 ascended the near-vertical terrain. He called in
more than 50 close airstrikes and strafing runs.

"Sergeant Gutierrez and I met on the cliff during the battle briefly.
We shared a laugh, but it was a busy, bleak situation," Sergeant Rhyner
said.

Sergeant Rhyner had been calling in airstrikes for three hours while he
was injured; however, he still felt responsible for the others who had
been hurt. With disregard for his own life, he tried to get the injured
to safety, still in the open line of fire.

"I left injured personnel in a house and I had to get over there," he
said. "I was frustrated being wounded. I tried to get the bombs there
fast and talk to the pilots who didn't see what I saw on the ground."

Five or six hours into the fight, as it was getting dark, intelligence
informed the JTACs that enemy reinforcements were 10 kilometers away
carrying enemy rockets and missiles.

"We continued to fight our way up the hill and the (helicopters) came,"
Sergeant Gutierrez said. "Zach was talking to the helos and gave the
coordinates to lay the bombs on the village, while I kept the A-10
(Thunderbolt IIs) and the Apaches out of the way."

Sergeant Rhyner called in a total of 4,570 rounds of cannon fire, nine
Hellfire missiles, 162 rockets, 12 500-pound bombs and one 2,000-pound
bomb, constantly engaging the enemy with his M-4 rifle to deter their
advance.

"Zach acted fast and shut down the fighting," Sergeant Gutierrez said. "The wounded were taken out on medevac."

Back at command and control, Captain Parker heard that the helicopters
were on the ground with the wounded but he could not move the
helicopters due to the terrain and weather conditions.

"Radio transmissions would block the signal due to terrain and vertical
cliffs," he said. "Helicopters were vulnerable and there was pressure
to do everything we could to get the teams out quickly."

Fog then started rolling into the valley.

"At 8,000 feet, the helicopter couldn't fly (due to altitude) and the
situation called for 'aggressive patience,'" Captain Parker said. "More
than 50 percent of the U.S. forces were wounded, and it was pretty
grave."

Toward the end of the fighting, 40 insurgents were killed and 100 wounded

Sergeant Rhyner was directly credited with the entire team's survival due to his skill and poise under intense fire.

"Sergeant Rhyner is out of training less than a year and is in one of
the most difficult situations," Captain Parker said. "It is an absolute
testament to his character and the training these guys take. It tells
me we are doing something right."

"If it wasn't for Zach, I wouldn't be here," Sergeant Gutierrez said.

Sergeant Rhyner received the Jewish Institute for National Security
Affairs Grateful Nation Award Dec. 8 in Washington, D.C., and is
awaiting the presentation of a Purple Heart for the injuries he
suffered during the battle.

by Capt. Laura Ropelis
Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs

12/25/2008 - HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFNS) -- An
Air Force Special Operations Command Airman saved lives in Afghanistan
April 6 during a lengthy battle by calling in airstrikes to protect his
team.

Staff Sgt. Zachary Rhyner, a special tactics combat controller assigned
to the 21st Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., was
deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom as the primary joint terminal
attack controller while attached to special forces team Operational
Detachment Alpha 3336, 3rd Special Forces Group.

Then a senior airman, Sergeant Rhyner was part of a 130-man combined
assault force whose mission was to enter Shok Valley and capture a
high-value target who was funding the insurgency. Sergeant Rhyner is
credited with saving his10-man team from being overrun twice in a
6.5-hour battle.

Capt. Stewart Parker, the detachment commander at Bagram Airfield,
Afghanistan, was the command and control link to the JTACs on the
ground as they went into Shok Valley.

"This was the first time U.S. special operations forces entered the
territory," Captain Parker said. "These were extraordinary conditions
and the situation was dynamic."

Shok Valley is located below 60-foot cliffs. The mission objective was at the top of the mountains surrounding the valley.

"Initial infiltration began that day with snow on the ground, jagged
rocks, a fast-moving river and a cliff," Sergeant Rhyner said. "There
was a 5-foot wall you had to pull yourself up. The ridgeline trail was
out of control."

The expectation was to encounter fire from about 70 insurgents. One Air
Force JTAC-qualified combat controller was attached to each team to
call in airstrikes, if needed.

"We were caught off guard as 200 enemy fighters approached," said Staff
Sgt. Rob Gutierrez, a combat controller with the second team in the
fight. "Within 10 minutes, we were ambushed with heavy fire from 50
meters. The teams were split by a river 100 to 200 meters apart, north
to south."

Afghanistan

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Ace Of Spades: Why Language MattersIn this article, Ace of Spades demonstrates how the writing style of "journalists" and other writers is purposely used to influence the electorate. He explains this far better than I have been able to do, but this is the foundation of why I could no longer be silent.